Cement plant preheater fan build-up control

Material buildup on preheater fans is a significant problem worldwide. The authors describe two approaches to study this problem: (a) a survey of experiences from several cement plants around the world; and (b) a laboratory study to research the problem under controlled conditions. Both approaches have revealed significant insights to this problem from which recommendations are made to minimize the problem. The buildup problem is definitely temperature and impact velocity related. This supports the theories involving lower melting point alkalines forming a sticky compound that then catches other solid particulates and forms the buildup. It would appear that sulfur is ruled out as a cause of this buildup (there is no sulfur in the fuel in the lab test, but buildup still occurs). Formation of FeCl₃ as a result of chlorine reacting with the steel in the rotor can also be ruled out as the buildup still occurred, even with stainless steel and other protective (noniron) coatings on the rotor